New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-12
THE NEW HALF-HOLIDAY LAW
LIKELY TO be PRETTY WIDELY OBSERVED.


PRESIDENT JOHNSTON EXPLAINS ITS PROVISIONS
| HOW THE MOVEMENT STARTED.
The Passage OF the Saturday baif- Holiday bill, -
predicted In TIE TRIBUNE soma time ago. has caused
great rejoicing among the clerks and other employees
of this city, and in TACT throughout the State IL 10
perhaps better appreciated in kew-York and Brook.
lyn however srnce the benefits Of the measure have
been more fully enjoyed here tn In any of the other
cities OF the country The movement originated here.
and with the exception Of Phiadelp hia and one or
two other places it has only been taken up In an in
! different way else where
Strictly speaking the movement was begun several
years ago by few the large stores that adopted tho
practice OF closing their doors az IL or o'clock ON
Saturdays during July and August Al 6rst Only
three four Of the largest did this but gradually
others followed their excellent and popular example,
until considerable mum OF employees had the last
afternoon of the week to themselves durir the heated
term these few establishments became the nucleus
ct the movement when two years ago. body OF gen.
tlemen connected with the variods lsrse dry-goods
houses took up the matter and determined to mako
the reform general tar The business houses were
concerned. They were highly successful from tue
outset Seldom has any reform requiring suen raai-
| cal change as that demanded BY the halt. holiday
project received such enthusiastic ipdorsemenG
AS result of the commit ee's efforts over ioO.
people gained halt holiday during most OF the sum-
mer of 1855.
This encou, aged the advocates OF the reform to
broaden it's scope so as TO include employees Oh all
kinds, whether statesmen or factory hands. otnce
assistants manual laborers. With this end IN view
| the campaign OF 1885 was begun. Its success was
greater Over half mill on people IN TINS CITY
and BROOKLYN obtained the hat-holiday tor at least
three months last summer The Half-Hoiiday Dill
introduced in the Legislature by Speaker Hustled was
defeated by small majority but this year the meas
ure went through the Senate and Assembly with CON-
parative ease. The banks opposed It at hrst, but
when it amended TO meet certain objections raised
by the Clearing House, even this oppositoa was
| withdrawn and the prospects are that the law VII
be well received and pretty generally adopted among
| business and manufacturers.
Since the passage Of the measure there has peen
| o great deal OF discussion about lie possible
and probable effects upon business here ana
throuL bout the State. Many to think that the
new law will cause complete revolution In the pres
ent order OF things, and cause the most radcsl
changes in the existing methods OF conducting affairs
This is due to misconcepton OF what the Dill reaIy
implies, as was shown yesterday by President John:
ston, OF the Half-Hollday Association. Wgen asked
what he thought would be the general euect Oh inc
| law he said .
Al find that there is general misunderstanding in
ne public mind in regard to the real meaning oil
the law and the necessity for IT. sUm a,or sst 70
close at IL o'clock sharp at noon SATURDAYS as soon as
tine law takes effect. Others, CD the contrary, LOOK
upon it simply q recommendation which II not COM
piled with voluntarily will stand as dead letter on
| the statute books. NowJ both OF these views are
part right and partly WRONG. Its true That no ohe
will be compelled to clio except the banks which eau
do no BUSINESS Of Importance Saturday after noon
But closely allied to the banks various classes OF
business that can only be properly transacted when
|
brokers' offices, insurance and many OF the commission
and wholesale houses. On the other hand there Is q
large number OF houses 10 me wholesale traae wncn
are perfectly willing to close on Saturday afternoons
throughout year provided they would not Dc held
responsible for outstanding commercial paper that
might mature after they had closed during the SUM-
mers of 1885 and 1885 over 1000 merchants closed
between IL and o'clock, yet every one OF them had
tc keep the financial department open foi the raasac-
| ton OF banking business .
In regard to the retail trade Many of the propr-
etors of the large retail stores which have wholesale
department attached and bat one entrance 10 pom
have frequently told that il the wholesale porIon
could be closed without injury TO the business tDey
| would be wiling to close the retail department. one
thing more let say. the spirit OF the
is abroad and il is most unlikely that the downtown
portion of the city would take holiday with The peo-
Die uptown satisfied TO remain hard at work AnotLer
thing; change in the pay day Is abb oluteiy neces-
sary for those sections where working people do their
trading, and active have been taken 10 hee
contractors and others 10 make such c1an2e we
have tear that public sentiment anu Tue goou Ga
amples of the past will tail bring about these desir-
| able changes"
THE point is made by some persons that the Legis.
laure has right to make laws IN regard To Natoni
banks which we're governed by the Federal laws.
| That is absurd" said Mr.. Johnston. Does not
every one know that any State can make an sas n1
Government Some States have holidays that others
do no, observe and Thanksgiving may be Kept on any
da, that tn. Governors OF the several states seec
though of course they usually follow the Presidents
example matter OF courtesy"
There is a strong opposition to the provisions Oh
the Saturday Half Holiday law among members OF inc
Produce Exchange, and by any construction oil law
}, the Exchange can avoid closing on saturday alter
| Moons IL is probable that IL VIII not do So SeVerai
members having appealed to President MCGEE to sub
mit the question OF SATURDAY afternoon coslnS, no
| called a meeting Of the managers which was held
Yesterday. President McGeo announced that unless
StberwIse instructed by the board he should close
the En- change at noon saturday. Then followed q
| nptracted discussion Some advised paying no at
tenton to the HalfHoliday law; Others wanted 20
submit the question to ballot by the ENchange hers
snrrestcd the amendment OF the bylaws so that tho
| Fxchanre won d not be subject 70 the Half-IIoday
law and others proposed that the law should De Oo-
served strictly Hopeless Of accomplishing anything
definite with such diversity of opinion the managers
adoDted a resolution that the Law Committee should
confer with counsel to the powers OF the Exchange
I'm tho premises. -, ,o, - o,os. an.
| saturday at noon, beginning on May n Inc Con n
nittec On Ry-Iaws OF the Cotton Exchange VIII pre-
| nare amendments in accordance with the provisions
| of the Half Holiday law.